Sri Lanka is not only suitable for a beach holiday: here you can go trekking in the mountains and hike through tea plantations, explore ancient temples, improve your health with Ayurvedic procedures and observe the rich local flora and fauna. We share ideas for an unforgettable trip to the island.
How to get there
Direct flights from Moscow to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, are operated by Aeroflot – on Thursday and Sunday there, on Monday and Friday back. Travel time is 9–10 hours. Prices start from 60,000 rubles* one way (for a ticket with luggage).
Flights with one or two transfers from Qatar Airways, Gulf Air Emirates, FlyDubai, SriLankan Airlines will be more affordable. Such tickets cost from 34,000 rubles* one way.
Entry rules
To enter, you will need a tourist visa; it can be obtained in advance electronically or upon arrival. At the airport, a visa is issued for a period of up to 30 days, the cost is 60 US dollars (approximately 4,600 rubles), payment only in cash.
Online visa is issued on the portal of the Sri Lanka Immigration Department. There are two types: for 30 days with double entry and for 180 days, but double entry is allowed only in the first 30 days. The fee is 50 US dollars (3,850 rubles*) regardless of the validity period. You can only pay with a foreign card or UnionPay card.
Where to stay
November to May is the dry season on the southern coast – from Bentota to Tangale. The most accommodation options are in Mirissa, Weligama and Hikkaduwa. From May to October, due to the onset of the monsoon season, tourists move to the northeast coast to Arugam Bay.
There are different types of accommodation, from rooms in local homes to boutique hotels and villas. Prices start from 400–500 rubles per day for the simplest option. When booking, please pay attention to the availability of air conditioning or a fan, as well as mosquito nets over the beds.
We found several hotels on the south coast.
Weligama Bay Eco Villa (rating 8.2) is a guest house where for 800 rubles* you will have your own room 50 meters from the ocean. The room has a bathroom, there is also a shared kitchen and a terrace, and next to the hotel there is a restaurant with delicious cuisine and breakfast.
Moonlit Bay Weligama (rating 8.8) – hotel a couple of minutes walk from the ocean. For 1,210 rubles* per day you can rent a spacious standard room with a sea view, but without air conditioning. A pleasant bonus is hearty Sri Lankan breakfasts from a friendly hostess.
Onilwe Resort Weligama (rating 9.0) is a hotel built around a tree. The site is more like a jungle, so you will be neighbors with a peacock, chipmunks and other animals and birds. Suitable for a secluded holiday. Walking distance to the beach is 15 minutes. A standard room with air conditioning and breakfast costs 1,400 rubles* per night.
Sky Mountain (rating 9.5) – Bed and breakfast with helpful owners in a beautiful, quiet location between Midigama and Weligama. A night in a standard room with a fan and breakfast will cost 1,600 rubles*.
Weligama Ocean Breeze (rating 9.0) is a three-star hotel with a swimming pool in Weligama. There is an excellent surfing beach nearby, suitable for beginners. A double room with air conditioning costs 5,695 rubles* per night.
Things to do
Tourists usually come to Sri Lanka in winter to bask on the beaches. But these are not the only activities on the Sri Lankan coast – they can be diluted with active recreation and photo hunting for local fauna.
Go on a safari
In Yala National Park, watch the life of elephants, monkeys, peacocks, water buffalos, crocodiles and even the rare Ceylon leopards in their natural habitat. To definitely see the latter, it is better to come on a safari to the park with an overnight stay – this way you will be able to get away from jeeps, which often scare away cats.
If you are going for one day, you can choose a morning or evening tour, which lasts half a day. If you’re planning a trip from the south coast, more than half of your time will be spent on the road. A seven-hour tour with road costs about 35 US dollars (2,600 rubles) per person.
Climb Adam’s Peak
Adam’s Peak has great religious significance for Buddhists: it is believed that at the top of the plateau there is a footprint of the Buddha, to whom pilgrims from all over the world strive to worship. For tourists, climbing here is an opportunity to see a beautiful sunrise and gain the experience of climbing together with monks and local residents.
It is better to start climbing Adam’s Peak at two or three o’clock in the morning in order to reach the top by sunrise. You will have to overcome about 5,000 concrete steps with a height gain of 1,000 m, which will take about three hours. You will definitely need warm clothes, as it is cool and windy at the top. Also along the way there are often tents with tea and food, so you can walk lightly and stop in such places for a rest.
Visit a tea plantation
Formerly called Ceylon, Sri Lanka is now one of the leading producers of quality tea in the world. There are many plantations on the island where visitors can learn about the process of growing, harvesting and processing tea leaves. The most famous tea region is Nuwara Eliya.
Popular factories are Halpe Tea, Glenloch Tea Factory and Bluefield Tea Gardens. There you can walk through the plantations, watch tea pickers and visit production workshops to learn about the leaf processing process. We also recommend signing up for a tasting and buying the drink directly from the manufacturer.
See whales
The warm Indian Ocean off the southern coast of Sri Lanka is where blue whales migrate annually from December to April. Cruises to observe these incredible creatures depart from Mirissa almost every day; prices start at $65 (5,000 rubles). Of course, there is a chance you won’t see whales, but the organizers promise that you can absolutely “catch” killer whales and pods of dolphins that will accompany the boat throughout the “hunt.”
Swim with sea turtles
This can be done on two southern beaches – Hikkaduwa and Polhena. You don’t have to swim far: the animals are found right off the coast, and to see them you only need a good mask and snorkel.
You can also visit turtle hatcheries on the beaches on the southwest coast. The eggs of these animals are in great demand among poachers, so the clutches are carefully guarded. When the babies hatch, they are released into the ocean. This is a fascinating spectacle that the whole area comes to see: dozens of turtles run to the water and disappear with the tidal wave.
Be enchanted by the colonial streets of Galle
In the walled city of Galle you will see an eccentric mixture of Portuguese, Dutch and British architecture. At the same time, inside the old districts there are spa centers, luxury hotels, souvenir shops, ice cream parlors and jewelry boutiques. Come in the morning hours to see how the streets of Galle slowly wake up in a Sri Lankan way. Try a hearty breakfast at the city’s oldest cafe, National Tea Rooms, drink local coffee at Dumplings cafe, and shop for gifts with postcards and retro posters at Stick No Bills. Stroll through the fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and watch the sunset from the lighthouse.
Ride the train
Traveling on Sri Lankan trains, moving slowly through the jungle through fields and tea plantations, will take you back in time and give you beautiful views from the window, as well as immersing you in the daily life of the locals. We talked about the four most scenic railway routes in the country in this article.
See the miraculous citadel on an extinct volcano
At the top of a 170-meter table rock in the city of Sigiriya in the center of the island is the ancient fortress of the same name, also known as Lion Rock, or Sigiriya Rock. Locals call it the eighth wonder of the world. Previously, Buddhist monks lived on its top, and then in the 5th century, King Kashyapa built an impregnable fortress here. To this day, only ruins have survived from its former grandeur. Thus, the originally carved staircase leading to the top of the rock passed through the mouth of a brick lion. Now only his paws have survived. Entrance ticket costs 30 US dollars (2,200 rubles).
Relax with an Ayurvedic massage
Ayurvedic massage combines both massage and oil therapy. The procedure helps restore the body, relax the body, improve blood circulation and overall health. Finding a spa is not difficult, and there are several places to choose from in almost every city. Prices for an hour-long massage start from 1,000 rubles.
*Prices are current at the time of publication.
For convenient and profitable hotel booking, use the OneTwoTrip service.
